# mSATA > small SATA-based expansion card form factor **Wikidata**: [Q64538905](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64538905) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSATA) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/msata ## Summary mSATA is a compact expansion card form factor designed to use Serial ATA (SATA) technology for connecting storage drives like SSDs. It was primarily used in laptops and small devices to add solid-state storage in a smaller physical footprint compared to traditional 2.5-inch SATA drives. ## Key Facts - **Instance Of:** Drive form factor - **Subclass Of:** Expansion card - **Interface:** Uses Serial ATA (SATA) - **Aliases:** mini-SATA, mini SATA - **Successor:** M.2 - **Distinct From:** M.2 (different interface), PCI Express Mini Card (different electrical interface) - **Relationship:** Part of the expansion card class (circuit boards adding functionality) - **Visuals:** Includes images showing an mSATA SSD compared to a 2.5-inch SATA drive and a specific mSATA drive model (Sandisk SDSA3DD-016G-2494). - **Wikipedia Title:** MSATA - **Wikidata Description:** "small SATA-based expansion card form factor" ## FAQs ### Q: What is mSATA used for? A: mSATA is an expansion card form factor designed primarily for adding storage, especially solid-state drives (SSDs), to computers like laptops and small-form-factor devices where space is limited. ### Q: How does mSATA differ from M.2? A: While both are small form factors for storage, mSATA exclusively uses the Serial ATA (SATA) interface, whereas M.2 supports both SATA and faster PCIe (PCI Express) interfaces. M.2 is the newer successor to mSATA. ### Q: What are the main advantages of mSATA? A: Its primary advantage is a significantly smaller physical footprint compared to standard 2.5-inch SATA drives, making it ideal for compact laptops and devices needing integrated SSD storage. ### Q: What happened to mSATA? A: mSATA was largely superseded by the more versatile M.2 form factor, which offers similar compact size but supports faster PCIe interfaces alongside SATA. ### Q: Is mSATA the same as a Mini PCIe card? A: No. While mSATA cards physically fit the Mini PCIe card slot size, they use different electrical connectors and interfaces. mSATA uses SATA signaling, while Mini PCIe cards primarily use PCIe signaling. ## Why It Matters mSATA represented a significant step forward in miniaturizing storage components for computing. By adapting the mature Serial ATA interface into a compact expansion card form factor, it enabled the widespread adoption of fast SSDs in space-constrained devices like ultrabooks and compact desktops during the early 2010s. It solved the critical problem of integrating high-speed storage into systems where physical size was paramount, paving the way for even smaller and faster standards like M.2. Its legacy lies in demonstrating the demand and viability of compact, high-performance storage interfaces beyond bulky drives. ## Notable For - Being a dedicated small-form-factor storage card using the established Serial ATA interface. - Its compact physical dimensions designed specifically for integration into laptops and small devices. - Serving as the direct predecessor to the more versatile M.2 form factor. - Utilizing the same physical slot size as the PCI Express Mini Card while employing a completely different electrical interface (SATA). ## Body ### Definition and Core Concept mSATA is a small, circuit-board based expansion card form factor. Its primary purpose is to provide storage connectivity, particularly for Solid State Drives (SSDs), within computer systems. The core characteristic defining mSATA is its use of the Serial ATA (SATA) data and power interface. ### Technical Specifications and Form Factor - **Interface:** Exclusively utilizes Serial ATA (SATA) signaling. - **Physical Size:** Designed as a small, rectangular circuit card, allowing it to fit into compact laptop and small-form-factor device expansion slots. - **Functionality:** Acts as a drive form factor, meaning it provides the physical and electrical connection point for a storage drive (like an mSATA SSD) to the computer's motherboard via SATA. ### Relationships and Context - **Expansion Card:** mSATA is classified as an expansion card, a category defined as circuit boards connected to a computer system to add functionality (in this case, storage). - **Drive Form Factor:** It is specifically an instance of a drive form factor. - **Predecessor:** mSATA was followed by the M.2 form factor. M.2 supports both SATA and faster PCIe interfaces. - **Differentiation:** mSATA is explicitly different from both the M.2 form factor and the PCI Express Mini Card form factor, despite potential similarities in physical slot size for the Mini Card. The electrical interfaces differ fundamentally (SATA vs PCIe). ### Visual Documentation - Images are available showing an mSATA SSD physically compared to a standard 2.5-inch SATA drive. - Images exist showing specific mSATA drive models, such as a 16GB Sandisk mSATA SSD (model SDSA3DD-016G-2494). ### Knowledge Base Presence - Entry exists on Wikidata with the description "small SATA-based expansion card form factor". - Dedicated entry on English Wikipedia titled "MSATA". - Associated category on Wikimedia Commons ("MSATA"). - Referenced in 2 sitelinks within the knowledge base structure.